1. Field
The invention is in the field of game playing apparatus for use with swimming pools, both above ground and in-ground pools, and particularly game apparatus such as nets, goals, and hoops supported above the top of the pool.
2. State of the Art
Swimming pools are very popular in the United States. Traditional swimming pools are dug into and formed in the ground so the top of the pool is approximately around ground level. This makes it easy to enter and exit from the pool. Also, since the sides of the pool are supported by the ground surrounding the pool, certain well developed types of construction for the pool can be used. Because of this, pools of any desired size can be constructed. Above ground pools are now also popular. While above ground pools used to be limited to small wading pools for children, methods of constructing pool sides have advanced to allow large above ground swimming pools to be constructed. Such above ground pools are generally constructed using self supporting inflatable sides or sides supported by frame members such as steel supporting frame members. The steel supporting frames generally support a flexible fabric reinforced plastic liner which holds the water.
The primary purpose of a swimming pool is to provide a body of water for people to immerse themselves in on hot days and for people to be able to swim in for pleasure and exercise. To increase the utility of swimming pools and provide group activities, various competitive games have developed involving from two to many participants. Many of these games are similar to existing games and require special equipment such as volleyball nets or basketball hoops. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,315 shows installation of a volleyball net and basketball hoops in a standard in ground swimming pool deck and U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,975 shows a goal such as a water polo goal which rests on a standard in ground swimming pool deck. U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,891 shows a volleyball net with one net support floating in the pool. U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,887 shows opposite upright stanchions attached to opposite sides of a round above ground pool which curve inwardly at the top to support basketball type backboards over the water of the pool and also support a volleyball net between the stanchions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,086 shows a basketball hoop and backboard assembly for attachment to the top rail of an above ground swimming pool. U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,849 shows a cable stretched between two poles on opposite sides of an above ground swimming pool which acts as a volleyball net with a ball tethered to the cable. With all of these, except U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,849 which shows a tethered ball for playing volleyball, the ball is free to be thrown out of the pool if the goal and backboard is missed or if a volleyball hit or basketball block misdirects the ball. Someone then has to climb out of the pool to retrieve the ball.
While various net enclosures have been developed for trampolines, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,845 and in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,433,838 and 4,569,515, trampolines are relatively small structures much different than swimming pools in both size and use. In a pool, the user is in the water below the top of the pool rather than jumping on a rebound surface above the pool.